Team of Rivals Podcast

The Cubs are limping into October. The Bears exact revenge on Matt Eberflus. St. Louis City keeps winning whenever Ron isn’t watching. Newcastle United hands Ron the result he hates most: a nil-nil draw. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are already planning for 2026. Join Ron, Elliott, and Pete for all the chaos, snark, and sports analysis you didn’t know you needed. 📌 Watch the Livestream: YouTube | Rumble | Facebook | X📌 Follow: @TeamOfRivalsPod | Elliott @ToR_Elliott | Ron @ToR_Ron75 | @TheParkSTL📧 Email: TeamOfRivalsPodcast@gmail.com

Anthony Rizzo threw himself the retirement party of the century, and the guys can’t help but linger on Cubs talk longer than usual. Eventually, they pivot to St. Louis, where Masyn Winn has shut it down after a second torn meniscus. Ron delivers his first completely positive Soccer Minute of the season: new Newcastle kicks, wins for both the Magpies and City, and even a Messi sighting as Charlotte knocked off Miami. To wrap it all up, the crew forces themselves to relive Sunday’s disaster in Detroit, where the Bears flat-out forgot to play the second half. Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X. Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

Pete spent the day doing some investigative journalism. He made calls, pulled records, and chased down leads no one else had the courage — or the free time — to chase. Something is clearly wrong. Since the All-Star Break, every team ToR follows has decided to embrace mediocrity — at best! — as a lifestyle choice. This weak, the Team discusses the Cubs dropping out of the NL Central race, the Cardinals’ tragic number reducing to four, CITY hovering dangerously close to the Wooden Spoon, and Newcastle drawing Leeds, not to mention the Bears spending Monday's fourth quarter collapsing as performance art. Because after careful research, meticulous analysis, and hours of reflection, Pete finally uncovered the root cause of all this misery. It’s Ron’s fault. Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X. Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

The Cubs are still babying Cade Horton like it’s 2023, the Cardinals are drawing 17,002 fans (and somehow still announcing it proudly), and the Bears are trying to convince us that “cautious optimism” counts as progress. This week, Ron, Elliott, and Pete stumble into another rundown-less episode that covers everything from baffling roster decisions and dwindling St. Louis attendance to NFL opening week and ESPN trying to ruin RedZone with commercials. Ron sneaks in a very extended Soccer Minute, Elliott gets exposed as the world’s least subtle hacker, and Pete dreams of an emergency podcast the day the Cubs finally trade “You Suck”. In other words, it’s another week of chaos, sarcasm, and sports therapy. Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X. Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

The Cardinals keep finding new ways to lose, from a fan base running out of patience to players losing their minds (looking at you, Willson). Meanwhile, the Cubs try to claw their way back into the NL Central race, but not without Elliott and Pete’s usual mix of drama, anxiety, and over-analysis. The Team also debates rumored MLB expansion cities (spoiler: Nashville comes up, because of course it does). And finally, Ron delivers another extended Soccer Minute with double the heartbreak, as both Newcastle and City lose late, but in very different ways. Maybe it’s Ron…? Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X. Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

Buckle up, Cubs and Cardinals fans: this week’s episode is super-sized! The Team starts with Cubs fans’ full-blown panic (and blame-casting) over Kyle Tucker’s injury drama. Elliott and Pete take solace in Chicago’s five-game series win over the Brewers, which sparks just enough hope to be dangerous. Meanwhile, the Cardinals continue their 2025 masterclass in how not to run a baseball organization, before the guys pivot to MLB’s future expansion and the inevitable realignment that follows. From there, it’s football and fútbol: the Bears’ opening drive against Buffalo gets some love, and Ron’s Soccer Minute goes way over time as Pete joins in to dissect Newcastle’s scoreless draw with Aston Villa and St. Louis City’s latest stumble against the Fire. Finally, the show closes with a pop culture double feature: Elliott makes amends for skipping Tuesday’s show with a Music Minute review of the Nine Inch Nails concert, and Pete delivers his own Movie Minute after a personal hot streak at the theaters. Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X. Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

This week's episode is half baseball, half Star Wars, and somehow, all relevant.Pete finally binged Andor, so naturally we spent half the episode spiraling into galactic politics, moral ambiguity, and why Syril Karn is the worst.Also: Too-soon deadline analyses, Cubs fan anxiety, and Ron coming to grips with his soccer choices.You’ve been warned.Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X.Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

On this Deadline Day/Birthday double feature, the Team of Rivals Podcast sifts through the debris of a trade deadline that left Cubs and Cardinals fans equally underwhelmed, and Elliott spending his 45th birthday watching the Cubs make exactly the kind of moves that scream "we tried… sort of." Pete and Elliott break down Jed Hoyer’s conservative approach, the failure to land a starting pitcher, and whether the front office overplayed its hand in regards to Mackenzie Gore. Ron joins mid-show to commiserate about the Cardinals’ refusal to go all-in (or all-out) as John Mozeliak stops short of a full teardown one final time. The guys compare strategies across the league, marvel at the Padres’ all-gas-no-brakes philosophy, and begrudgingly praise the Twins for executing a real reset. Plus: Elliott battles connection demons, Ron locks down the podcast's official Premier League club, and Pete tries to make sense of a deadline that felt more like a detour.Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X.Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

This week, we remember Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg and reflect on the grace and grit that made him unforgettable, both on the field and in his iconic 2005 Hall of Fame speech. Then we dissect Elliott’s shocking (and possibly permanent?) extension, brace for Thursday’s trade deadline chaos, and dive into Bryce Harper’s public challenge to Rob Manfred, which spirals into a full-blown salary cap (and floor) debate. Finally, Ron tries to sell Pete on adopting Newcastle United as the official Premier League club of a podcast that absolutely did not request one.Ryno's Hall of Fame Speech: youtu.be/RuxyTRfqCJUCheck out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X.Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

Last week’s hot takes did not hold up well, and the Team of Rivals crew is back to clean up the mess, or at least laugh at it.The show kicks off with a sincere and emotional tribute to Ryne Sandberg following the news about his health, before veering straight into the most unexpected detour of the week: Ozzy Osbourne. Yes, really.From there, it's open season on the St. Louis Cardinals, who returned from the All-Star Break and promptly forgot how to play baseball. Ron, Elliott, and Pete dig into the collapse, the front office’s all-too-familiar paralysis, and whether there's any hope left for 2025.The Cubs aren’t exactly thriving either, with a starting rotation held together by prayers and chewing gum. Can they find stability before the trade deadline, or is this just another chapter in a very forgettable season?Also up for debate:Can the Brewers actually sustain their run, or is the fall coming?Did MLB jump the shark with its latest All-Star Game gimmick?Why are we still pretending “unwritten rules” matter in blowouts?And of course, Ron’s Soccer Minute™, for the six people who enjoy that.It’s classic ToR: half therapy session, half roast, and just the right amount of chaos.Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X.Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

Ron and Elliott gave it their best shot with a midseason assessment of the Cubs and Cards, but let’s be honest, you’re really here for Pete's response. He recorded in the car on the way to his dad’s, so the sound might be garbage, but hey… you get what you pay for.Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X.Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

It’s the All-Star Break, and that means it’s time for a midseason reckoning.Somehow, the Cardinals are the surprise of the summer. Not because they’re great, but because they’re… not terrible? Meanwhile, the Cubs sit (narrowly) atop the NL Central, but if they want to stay there, they’ll need more than vibes and PCA's glove. Starting pitching is the obvious need, and Ron comes fully prepared with a short list of arms that induce ground balls and could thrive behind the Cubs’ stellar up-the-middle defense. Best of all? The answer might already be in the neighborhood.As for the Cardinals, Elliott's message is simple: stop pretending you’re a contender, and finally do what you said you were going to do last winter, clear out the roster logjam and make space for youth and development. If not now, when?And in a rare bright spot for St. Louis sports, STL City SC finally won a match, and with some big summer transfer moves on the books, #FallouFall might be heating up.Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X.Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

This week Ron, Elliott, and Pete welcome back special guest Dustin “The Duke” Duquenne as they dive headfirst into last weekend's fireworks at Wrigley, highlighted by an eight-homer beatdown of the Cardinals on the Fourth of July that set league and franchise records (for both teams!). As Elliott, Duke, and Pete gleefully recap every bomb, Ron copes with the Cardinals’ ongoing rotation mismanagement – why hasn't Sonny Gray faced the Cubs this year? – and the baffling decision to keep running Miles Mikolas and Erick Fedde out to the mound.Duke brings the chaos, sparking classic banter and adding fuel to the fire during All-Star snub season. The guys vent about Seiya Suzuki’s absence from the roster, Michael Busch’s case over Freddie Freeman, and the absurdity of fan voting, especially when it gifts Ronald Acuña Jr. a starting spot with only 42 games played.Pete pays tribute to the late Lee Elia with a dramatic, profanity-laced replay of Elia's legendary 1983 tirade – a masterclass in manager meltdowns. They also touch on Andre Dawson’s birthday, Wrigley’s misunderstood park factors, and the absolute dumpster fire that is Cardinals Twitter/X.Other highlights include:A trade deadline preview and what the Cubs and Cardinals might doMic’d-up players and the awkward Sunday Night Baseball conversation with Masyn WinnThe Nationals’ bizarre front office purgeRob Manfred’s push for a salary cap and how that might actually workA nostalgic detour into He-Man toys and 80s cartoon logicRon’s Soccer Minute: City SC's woes continue, with little hope coming via the transfer windowWhether you're basking in Cubs euphoria or buried under Cardinals frustration, this episode delivers laughs, rants, and the kind of unfiltered takes you’ve come to expect from the Team of Rivals.Check out Paul Jellison's full YouTube video of Lea Elia's rant.Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X.Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

It’s the most magical of baseball holidays: Bobby Bonilla Day! Baseball’s most legendary deferred payment continues, and Pete has the updated list of players who will be cashing checks long after their cleats hit the shelf. Bobby may have been the first, but he’s no longer alone.Meanwhile, the trade deadline is just a month away, but you'd never know it. After what looked like a hot start (Rafael Devers), the stove is lukewarm at best, and the rumor mill is oddly quiet. Should we be concerned, or are the GMs just waiting each other out?Both the Cardinals and Cubs are trending up, but with very different outlooks. Elliott and Pete are both on board with the Cubs buying — aggressively, if possible — but Ron is still waiting on the Cardinals to make good on their promise to clear the deck and let the kids take the wheel.Finally, peer pressure pays off, as Pete has agreed to watch Andor. Yes, really. But before you question his judgment, he redeems himself by delivering the finest outro in ToR history. You be the judge.Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X.Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

After nearly three months and 78 games, Major League Baseball finally graced its 2025 fans with one of the best rivalries in sports. This week, the full team joined the end of Game 2 in progress and discussed the latest happenings on both sides of the I-55 Rivalry. Plus, an abridged version of "Ron's Soccer Minute"!Check out this week’s livestream on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook, or X.Follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook.